Zong Telecom is planning to offer a service that will enable Pakistani users to make payments over internet through prepaid cards that will work just like credit cards. These prepaid cards will be available throughout the country, thanks to extensive outreach of Zong’s sales and retail network in the country. Moreover, customers will also be allowed to load these prepaid cards – that they can use to buy things online – through their mobile balance, making the whole process a lot more convenient and seamless.

This facility will essentially resolve the long-running hurdle for e-commerce industry of the country by enabling the merchants to collect payments over internet through credit and debit cards, a solution that is currently not available in Pakistan. Due to inability of MoIT, PTA, PSEB, PASHA, SBP and local banks, Pakistan – even in 2016 – is living without any viable internet payment solution for the merchants in the country.

However, this is going to change now as Zong is soon going to become first payment processing operator in the country to offer physical and virtual prepaid cards that customers will be able to use to buy goods online and at retail shops throughout the country. Company will also offer the merchants a facility to accept these virtual and physical prepaid cards to instantly get payments for the items they sell online.

According to one slide, also produced below, Zong will partner infrastructure partners, such as banks and payment processing operators, to offer:

With growing number of online retail stores and trending e-commerce industry of Pakistan, its a shame the country is living without a viable solution that could allow merchants to accept payments online. Zong’s above mentioned effort is going to help the industry a lot. Zong internet and NFC payment solution will be commercially rolled out with-in next 45 days.